The Night Don't Stop
by Enya-Shay
Summary: Modern AU: In an effort to cheer up a broken-hearted Marianne, Dawn takes her out to a night club in the hopes of treating her to a good time. What follows is a chaotic series of events that may just be what Marianne needs to help her broken heart get pieced back together. Pairings are Butterfly Bog and Potionless
1. Chapter 1

Marianne lay on the floor of her bedroom, throat hoarse from yelling and eyes burning from crying. It had been four hours now since she caught them. Caught her boyfriend, Roland, on the couch with another girl. She had gone over to his apartment to surprise him, opened the door, and saw them there. It was the most painful thing she had ever experienced; like a knife stuck through her heart that was still lodged there and showed no signs of healing anytime soon.

First came the screaming. She wasn't usually a screamer, but something inside of her had snapped. Everything, all the doubts and insecurities about their relationship came flooding in all at once. Every suppressed comment or feeling from the past five years burst forward into one perfect storm. She was like a tornado, on a rampage with no signs of stopping. And there was certainly nothing Roland could do to stop her. He could only stand there and cower before her fury. His lover was smart at least: She fled the scene almost immediately.

Now the tornado had calmed, and Marianne was left with the damage. A shattered heart and empty tear ducts. A mind swarming with regret and hoplessness and shame. She felt used and broken. She couldn't quite remember how she got back to the apartment afterwards, or how she found herself on the floor, but she could not bring herself to move just yet. Her eyes squeezed themselves shut and she buried her face into the soft carpet. Perhaps she could just lay there forever and gradually fade away into nothing...

The door to her bedroom opened, and soft footsteps padded their way towards her. She felt a small hand touch her back ever so gently. The smell of cherry blossoms filled her nostrils and brought the tiniest bit of comfort: It was her sister, Dawn.

"Oh Marianne," she whispered, laying down so that her body was parallel to her sister's and curled herself around her. "I'm so so sorry."

Marianne wasn't sure if she could bring herself to speak just yet. When she tried, her throat closed up and her eyes burned even more as fresh tears arose. She took the hand that Dawn offered to her and squeezed it tightly to her chest. No matter how bad the pain, at least her sister was there. Even if it couldn't heal her aching heart, it was a comfort to know she was not alone.

She didn't know how long they laid there like that. Minutes? Hours? Who could say? When she thought she was ready, Marianne turned over onto her other side so that she was facing her sister. Dawn's usually cheery expression was not there today. It had been replaced by one of anguish and concern. It pained Marianne to know that her distress was leaking into her sister. Dawn was, after all, like an emotional sponge.

"Five years," Marianne croaked to her at last. "I gave him five years of my life. And this is what I get?"

Dawn brought a hand up to stroke her older sister's cheek in a comforting manner. "He was an asshole, Marianne. He doesn't deserve to even look at you."

"What's wrong with me, Dawn?" she continued. "Why wasn't I good enough for him?"

"Don't talk that way," her sister warned "Don't you dare say that. He was too busy looking for rocks, he couldn't see the diamond he already had."

Marianne smiled sadly. "I'm no diamond, Dawn. I'm a pebble. An ugly, worthless pebble that no one should ever pick up." She rolled back over away from her sister once again. She knew in her heart she shouldn't feel this way. Doing so was only letting Roland win. After all, his last words to her that day had been meant to tear her down:

_"No one else is ever going to want you."_

And they had. They hung onto her, tearing her slowly to pieces. He was right; she was too prim, too difficult, too..._different_ to love. No one in their right mind would want her.

"I'll get through this," she said, more to herself than to Dawn. "Just...give it time."

Two weeks later, Dawn sat at the kitchen table eating a bowl of Apple Jacks and reading Cosmo Magazine. Some movement caught her eye, and she looked up to see Marianne entering the room. Dawn gave a small shriek.

"You're wearing pants!" she cried out, dropping her cereal spoon into the bowl with a small splash of milk.

Marianne looked down at her jeans in confusion. "Um, yes? Why is this a big deal?"

"You've stayed in your room and worn nothing but your underwear and the occasional sweatpants for two weeks. So, you're finally wearing real clothes and I'm proud of you."

"I didn't think I'd ever get a congratulations for dressing myself," the older sister remarked as she crossed to the table and stuck her hand into the box of Apple Jacks. Retrieving a handful, she proceeded to stuff most of it into her mouth. "Besides, you told me to," she added through a mouthful of the cereal.

Dawn nodded in the affirmative. "Yes, because we're going shopping today."

Marianne raised an eyebrow. "Shopping?" she repeated.

"Yep, you heard me."

"For...?"

"Going out clothes."

"And why is that?"

"Because," said Dawn, getting up from the table to grasp both of her sister's hands. "We're going out tonight."

Marianne stared at her sister for almost a full minute before replying "No."

"Awww c'mon Marianne, we have to. Look," she said, digging into her purse that was sitting on the table and whipping out a silver credit card "daddy lent me his card for us to get some nice things."

"Did he really?" she asked skeptically.

"Well...I may have kind of suggested to him that it might cheer you up. And that it would make me happy too."

Marianne sighed. "Shopping doesn't make me feel better, Dawn. And neither will going out."

"But Marianne," whined Dawn "you used to love going out and drinking with me."

"Dawn, I literally have to babysit you the entire night because you always get way too drunk."

"I do not!"

"Oh yeah? The last time we went drinking, I found you trying to marry a mailbox and a parking meter to each other. You kept telling me they should be free to love whoever they want to."

Dawn's cheeks turned pink. "Tonight will be different," she promised "because tonight, you're the one who's gonna get super drunk. It will be fun, trust me."

Marianne sighed. She didn't want to go, but on the other hand getting drunk was tempting. The last couple of weeks had been rough, what with trying to avoid Roland's constant calls, texts, and visits. He was attempting to win her back, and it was tiring. Perhaps she could do with a night off.

"Fine," she said at long last. "On one condition: You let me be the one who gets up to drunk shenanigans, yes?"

Dawn squealed in reply and threw her arms around her sister. "Oh you bet, big sis. Tonight is going to be the best night ever."


	2. Chapter 2

The music was loud, the air was heavy, and the lights were flashing nonstop when Marianne and Dawn entered the night club. The girls had their hair done, their make up on, and were both decked out in new purchases from the day. Dawn was wearing a short, hot pink dress while Marianne wore the same style of dress, but in black. And heels.

"Remind me again why I let you talk me into these?" Marianne shouted over the music as she stumbled to the bar. It had been ages since she wore heels, and it showed. This was not a good sign if she could barely walk while sober.

Dawn grinned over her shoulder at her. "Because you look hot in them, that's why. Now come on Bambi, work those legs over here so we can get some booze!"

Marianne didn't appreciate the Bambi comment, but she complied. At the bar, Dawn immediately got the bartender's attention and ordered them two shots of Fireball whiskey a piece.

"Isn't that a bit much for a starter?" Marianne pointed out as the four shots were slid over to them.

Her sister just waved her off. "You wanted to get drunk, right? So, I am going to get you drunk."

"I mean for _you_. If I am the one who's supposed to get super drunk tonight, why are _you_ drinking the same amount?"

Dawn shrugged and smiled a lovable yet slightly irritating smile. She had it on reserve for when she was trying to avoid certain topics. And Marianne couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding when she saw that smile. Clearly, Dawn did not intend on being a sober bystander to her older sister's fun.

"Alrighty then, let's do this!" said Dawn, picking up two of the shots and handing one to her sister. "To the night!"

Marianne sighed. "To the night," she repeated, clinking her shot together with Dawn's and then throwing it back. The Fireball went down more smoothly than regular whiskey, but it was far from weak. It burned at the back of Marianne's throat and made her face contort into a wince from its strength.

"Damn," she coughed "it's been a while since I did a shot of that."

Dawn blinked and shook off her own reaction to the alcohol. "Woah, rush to my head! This stuff is good. C'mon, let's do the other one now."

"Now?" said Marianne, but the shot was already being handed to her. "Dawn, don't you think we'd better slow it down?"

"We will. Two shots first then we'll dance for a bit and come back for seconds after. Trust me, I know how to drink."

Marianne grimaced. "That's why this scares me." But she shrugged it off and took the second shot anyway. Dawn may not have known how to drink the right way, but the girl did know how to get drunk quick. And tonight, that was exactly what Marianne wanted.

At the bar on the far side of the room, a tall young man named Bog was sitting on one of the bar stools. He was feeling quite bored while he looked around the night club, eyes heavy from lack of sleep. The only reason he had come out tonight was because of his friend, Sunny. He had needed a wing man and, well, Bog was the only friend available. So, he found himself there, downing the occasional drink while scanning the room for potentials.

Honestly, Bog thought himself the worst person for a wing man position. For one thing, he was relatively indifferent to the club scene. Loud music, flashing lights, and grinding girls were not his cup of tea per say. He would have preferred to spend the evening in his apartment, alone and watching Netflix. His displaced attitude made him more alluring to the girls he was trying to pass on to Sunny, thus defeating his purpose there. And for another thing, he did not agree with his friend's attempts at finding romance. He thought that a night club was the wrong place to meet a serious girlfriend. Still, he had to try; for Sunny's sake, if nothing else.

"What about that one?" he asked suddenly, pointing to a leggy red head on the dance floor.

On the bar stool beside his own, Sunny groaned. He was much shorter than Bog, with dark hair, brown skin, and a button of a nose. The size difference made them quite a contrasting pair, but their friendship was strong nevertheless.

"No, Bog," Sunny replied firmly "you know how I feel about redheads."

"How do you feel about redheads?"

"You know."

"No, I really don't. What's wrong with them?"

Sunny sighed. "Nothing is wrong with them, they're just not my type. Come on, you know what my type is. We've been friends for like ten years now."

Bog yawned. "Is it Labrador Retrievers?"

"You're just being antagonizing now, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am." Bog massaged the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. On one hand, he wanted to help his friend find somebody. However, on the other he was very tired and losing interest fast. "You like blondes, yes, I know. Well, there's like fifty of them here. Pick one."

Sunny pouted at him. "I hope _you_ never need a wing man. If you do, I'm just gonna get you a copy of Playboy and a bottle of lube."

Bog grinned at this quip. "Forever alone, aren't I?"

His friend returned the grin. "With that attitude, yes. Now you just...stay here. I'm gonna go pee and scope out the area."

"Hopefully not at the same time," Bog commented, turning back to the bar to order another drink.

"Ha ha, very funny. And hey, it wouldn't hurt _you_ at all to do some looking too. Who knows? You might get lucky tonight."

Bog rolled his eyes. "What, and cheat on that bottle of lube? No thank you. Besides...I don't do hook ups. And that's all you're going to find in a place like this."

"Says you. I'm telling you, tonight I'm gonna meet the perfect girl-"

"Sunny, just go pee already."

"Fine. But I'm still right. You'll see!"

The bartender handed Bog his new drink, and he downed almost all of it in seconds. He had had a rough past couple of months. The young woman he had fallen for a year ago turned him down, and it hurt. It hurt to finally have found someone he thought was his perfect match, only to have her tell him she already had someone else. Her words still stuck with him, a tight fist around his aching heart: _"You're not the one for me."_

He knew he wasn't the most handsome guy; he was tall, somewhat gangly, and had a rather long nose and chin. While girls might be attracted to him for his mysterious allure, they weren't exactly flocking to him because of his looks. And that, he feared, might be the nail in the coffin of his love life. Perhaps he was never meant to have anyone, and that was why he no longer felt the need to try and find someone. Bog downed the rest of his drink and turned back to the dance floor. At least there was always Netflix.

He returned to scanning the room, trying to find that nonexistant "perfect girl" for Sunny. Perhaps if he managed to find one after all, Sunny would be appeased and he could go back home. _Curse my loyalty_, Bog couldn't help but think as he took another swig of his drink.

Across the dance floor, he could see the other bar in the club. Why it needed two, he had no idea. His eyes rested on a girl sitting alone at that other bar, swaying slightly in her seat to the music. He wasn't sure why she of all the girls in the room caught his eye, but he found himself watching her. Not in a creepy sense, more of a vague curiosity of whether or not she was in the same boat as he was.

It was difficult to tell what she looked like from a distance, other than she had short brown hair, dark eye shadow, and a black dress on. Bog toyed with the idea of going over to talk with her. After all, if she was sitting away from the crowd because the club scene made her uncomfortable, they had that in common at least. Plus, just as Sunny had a thing for blondes, Bog had a thing for brunettes. And short hair. Maybe she was a candidate for his own "perfect girl."

As he looked on, another girl joined the brunette at the bar. This one was blonde, and obviously the more energetic and outgoing of the two. A friend? Sister? Lover? Bog could not tell. He watched as they spoke, and then the blonde pulled the brunette off the bar stool and towards the dance floor. She pushed her into the mass of dancing bodies then pranced off and was out of his sight. So the brunette was now forced onto the dance floor, alone? That might not be good...

Bog downed the rest of his drink and got up from his seat at the bar. His head swam a little when he stood. He was drunker than he thought. This did not dissuade him from his goal, however. If anything, it gave him courage. He was going to find that brunette girl, make sure she was alright, and then...well, he didn't really have a plan from there. He was just going to leave that up to the alcohol to decide, perhaps.

He had gone no further than a few steps when suddenly Sunny reappeared, eyes wide with excitement. "Bog, I found her!" he yelled happily over the music. "I found my perfect girl."

"Is that so?" Bog returned, suddenly feeling a spark of defensiveness over the brunette girl flicker inside him. Surely it couldn't be her...

"Yeah, I just met her while coming back from the bathroom. Her name is Dawn, and she is amazing. She's got these gorgeous blue eyes and beautiful, wonderful blonde hair."

Bog relaxed a little. Good, it wasn't the mystery girl then. "Well, good luck to you with her. I think I'm gonna-well-I'm gonna go dance."

Sunny stared. "You? Dance? Just how drunk are you right now?"

Every second that he wasted explaining himself was a second that some other guy could be swooping in and snatching the brunette away. Bog had no idea why reaching her was suddenly so important, but it was. Maybe it was the alcohol fueling his wants more than he thought.

"Look, you go find Dawn and don't worry about me," he said, stepping around Sunny and heading towards the floor. "I have-I have something I need to take care of." And before Sunny could say another word, he turned himself sideways and squeezed into the mass of dancers.


	3. Chapter 3

Marianne stood awkwardly among the dancing bodies around her. Even as drunk as she was, she could feel the discomfort seeping into her stomach. To her left, a young couple were grinding while to her right, a clearly drunk girl was slopping her drink all over. Some of it spilled on Marianne's dress and she jumped sideways reflexively. She bumped into another girl, who gave her a dirty look and yelled "Watch it!" over the music.

_What do I do? _Marianne thought as the current song ended, feeling a little overwhelmed by the booze and all the activity around her.

"C'mon, dance!" she heard someone shout at her. There was a sharp prod between her should blades, and she turned to see the drunk girl with the drink giving her what she supposed was an encouraging booty-shake.

_Dance? _Marianne thought through a drunken daze. _Dance how?_

As she listened, a new song began. She knew this one. It had played on the radio a few times, and was one she liked. It had a nice beat to it that was perfect for dancing.

_Fuck it_, she thought, closing her eyes and putting her arms up above her head._ I'm dancing. _

Bog made his way through the crowd, dodging girls trying to grind up on him and hands holding cups of alcohol. He wondered if maybe he wouldn't even be able to find the girl with all these people to sift through. And maybe she had retreated back to the bar, like a smart person. Still, he had to try. He wanted to see her, talk to her, get to know her. If he could just find her...

Suddenly, he spotted her a little ways ahead. It was definitely her, he could tell by the dress, hair, and make up. Now that he was looking at her from less than several feet away, he saw that she was much prettier up close. He watched as she danced, arms above her head and hips moving from side to side with the music. Bog couldn't help but feel an ache of desire for her building up inside of him. The way her body moved, that short black dress clinging to every inch and leaving little to the imagination. And all the while, the song played overhead of them:

_You look at me and, girl, you take me to another place (because me need it, baby girl)_

_Got me feeling like I'm flying, like I'm out of space (heart beat)_

_Something 'bout your body says, "Come and take me." (because me need it, baby girl)_

_Got me begging, got me hoping that the night don't stop (rock that body 'cause we don't stop party)_

_ Fuck it all, _he thought, moving closer to her. He had to close that gap between them, or it was going to drive him mad. As he approached, her eyes opened and she looked at him with the most beautiful brown eyes he had ever seen. Surely, it was the alcohol that was making her so tempting, so alluring. Sober Bog would not be this weakened by a girl he only just laid eyes on minutes ago.

She seemed a little apprehensive at first, and it made him stop approaching. Though he was giving in almost completely to the alcohol, the gentleman in him was still in control of at least a sliver of his sense. He did not want to scare her or make her feel uncomfortable. So he stopped and waited for her to make the next move.

Marianne stopped dancing and stared up at the newcomer, feeling a little nervous by his sudden interest in her. He did not seem like a bad sort and he seemed to be waiting for her to decide how she wanted to take his attention. There was something about him that made her want to stay with him. Perhaps it was his height? She had always had a thing for taller guys. Or maybe his face; she had never met anyone with such interesting looks. It could be his blue eyes, which were soft and made her heart give a little jump when she looked into them. Though he wasn't the hottest guy she had ever seen, she did not want to stop looking at him.

_Girl, I like the way you move_

_Come and show me what to do_

_You can tell me that you want me_

_Girl, you got nothing to lose_

_I can't wait no more (ya no puedo más)_

_I can't wait no more (ya no puedo más)_

_Well, what are you gonna do now? _she thought while they stood there, maybe four feet from each other, just staring. _He clearly wants you...so what are you gonna do about it?_

Marianne's gaze drifted down to her feet when she suddenly thought of Roland. Though they had spent five years together, he had still chose to give in to someone else while they were still together. She had given him so much and he had just...thrown it all away. Her heart burned with anger at him. There was no way in hell she was going to let him hold her back from enjoying life. He had moved on before they had even broken up, so why shouldn't she do so as well?

She looked up at the newcomer and grinned a mischevous grin. _I am twenty three years old, I look hot, and I am drunk as fuck. Time to have fun and not give a shit anymore._

Marianne closed the distance between them, pressing her body to the newcomer's and draping her arms around his neck. She let the alcohol make her bold, and began to grind against him. For a moment, she thought maybe he would get uncomfortable and decide to back out. But he returned the grin, and put his hands on her waist.

_I wanna be contigo_

_And live contigo, and dance contigo_

_Para have contigo_

_Una noche loca (una noche loca)_

_Ay besar tu boca (y besar tu boca)_

_I wanna be contigo_

_And live contigo, and dance contigo_

_Para have contigo_

_Una noche loca (with you, girl)_

_Con tremenda loca_

And so, the two danced closely together, neither caring anymore about their own worries. They laughed, and had fun as they danced closely on the floor. Bog let his hands roam over Marianne, who didn't seem to mind in the least bit as she was doing the same to him.

_I look at you and it feels like paradise (estoy en otra dimencion)_

_You got me spinning, got me crazy, got me hypnotized (tus latidos aceleran a mi corazón) (heart beat)_

_I need your love, I need you closer (because me need it, baby girl)_

_Keep me begging, keep me hoping that the night don't stop (rock that body 'cause we don't stop party)_

Bog suddenly picked Marianne up so that her head was above his own. She was surprised at first, but threw back her head and laughed as he spun her around. When he returned her to the ground, she took his hands into her own and pulled away from him before pulling back in close. She did this several times, and Bog twirled her on a couple of them. He smiled at how much fun it was to just dance with her. Even if what they were doing didn't exactly match the music, it was enjoyable.

_Girl, I like the way you move_

_Come and show me what to do_

_You can tell me that you want me_

_Girl, you got nothing to lose_

_I can't wait no more (ya no puedo más)_

_I can't wait no more (ya no puedo más)_

Their bodies came back together as they were in the beginning, and their foreheads touched while they moved to the music. Bog was close enough to see the flecks of green in Marianne's irises, and she breathed in the tantalizing scent of his cologne. There was content in her, and she felt perfectly at ease in his arms. This man, this person she had only just met...already she felt so comfortable and safe with him. Surely, this was meant to be.

_I wanna be contigo_

_And live contigo, and dance contigo_

_Para have contigo_

_Una noche loca (una noche loca)_

_Ay besar tu boca (y besar tu boca)_

_I wanna be contigo_

_And live contigo, and dance contigo_

_Para have contigo_

_Una noche loca_

_Con tremenda loca_

Bog brought a hand to Marianne's face and pushed her bangs back out of her eyes tenderly. He had never seen someone so lovely, so perfect. The girl he had fallen in love with before seemed like nothing compared to this new girl. And she was looking back up at him the same way. Was this his perfect girl? She had to be. Maybe Sunny wasn't wrong after all.

_Baby girl, you are the bomb bomb the drop drop killing it with the one drop_

_The way you move, girl, let me heart beat want stop_

_Tik a tik a tok, never gonna stop, girl_

_Let ma heart burn when you fit and turn_

_Energy you give me, girl, you run the world_

_Sexy body she a full of body, girl_

_Let me turn your body to rise up in there_

_Long time me looking up and listen my world_

_Oh oh oh come, baby girl?_

_Oh oh ohhaaa stay with me, girl!_

_Oh oh ohhh play with me, girl!_

_Oh oh ohaaa come, baby girl? _

The song ended, and they stopped dancing, but their bodies remained together. Bog had his arms wrapped around her small, slender frame while she had hers around his neck. One of her hands found its way into his dark hair and she was gently stroking it. Both felt their hearts beating so fast they could match a hummingbird's.

_I like her a lot, _Bog thought as he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. _I really hope this isn't just the alcohol talking._

Suddenly, he felt her hand on the side of his face and he opened his eyes. She was giving him a look, and he didn't even have to ask to know what she wanted. He looked down at her lips-oh, those lips. They were full lips, covered with a dark purple lipstick, and so very inviting. Her eyes closed and she lifted her chin. It was all the signal he needed. Closing his own eyes, he leaned down and began to press his own lips to hers.


	4. Chapter 4

Their lips had only just touched when Bog suddenly felt Marianne tense in his arms. He pulled away quickly, terrified that he had done something wrong or she had realized that this was not what she wanted. He looked at her, and was surprised to see her frozen, as if in shock. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes were locked in a blank stare. What was wrong with her?

"Are you okay?" Bog asked with no small degree of concern.

"This song..." was all she replied with.

He listened, completely unaware that the music had even changed since after their dance. It was a slow song, strange for a night club, and seemed to have confused most of the people around them.

_Wise men say_

_Only fools rush in_

_But I can't help_

_Falling in love with you_

Marianne hugged herself tightly. No, it wasn't possible. How could he...how did he know she was here? But it had to be him. It had to be.

"I should have known," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "He would ruin this for me."

Bog placed his hands cautiously on her shoulders in an effort to find out what was happening. "Please, tell me what's wrong," he begged.

But Marianne took a step backwards, out of his grasp. "It's-it's not you." She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "It's not you. It's me-it's this song, it's-I have to go find Dawn." And without another word, she turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Bog stood there a moment, looking after that wonderful girl who had stolen his heart in less than fifteen minutes. He could let her go. After all, she didn't owe him anything. All they had done was dance, and kind of kiss. He didn't even know her name, nor did she know his. If he let her go now, it could end up sparing him another round of heartbreak.

"Goddammit," he grumbled. No, he wasn't going to let her slip away. There was a reason the night had brought them together, and he'd be damned if he would just walk away from that. So, with much more grumbling but not necessarily reluctance, he went after her.

Marianne stumbled out of the crowd, the weight of her recent heartbreak heavy on her shoulders. She was drunk, she could barely walk in the heels as it was, her dress was stained with booze, and now she was close to having a mental breakdown.

The song playing was her and Roland's song. It was always their song. It had been ever since they first danced to it at their senior prom in high school. And hearing it now-just when she had been enjoying herself with someone else-it was almost too much for her. She looked around desperately for Dawn, but could not find her anywhere. It was her sister she needed at the moment, no one else. Because if their song was playing, at a night club of all places, that could only mean-

"Marianne!" came the last voice on earth she wanted to hear at that moment. "There's my pretty girl."

Marianne felt a wave of panic and sickness and heartache rush over her all at once. She turned and saw Roland striding towards her, drink in hand and buddies at his sides. He was clearly drunk off his ass as well, which was only going to make things worse. She found herself backing up as he approached, but not quick enough to avoid him. He threw his free arm around her and pulled her to him. She almost gagged, he smelled so strongly of beer and heavy cologne.

"Roland, get off of me!" she snarled, struggling in his grip.

He and his friends just laughed. "Oh sugar, I know you missed me. It's been a very lonely two weeks without you. C'mon, Marianne, give us a kiss?"

She was infuriated. Not only had he cheated on her, but he had the gall to act like nothing was wrong between them. With a loud cry of frustration, she slammed her fist into his crotch. He groaned and released her, giving her the opportunity to slip away from him and stand before him. Her hands were balled into fists at her side, ready to hit him again if he even dared to touch her.

"Sweetheart," he pleaded as he recovered from the strike "be reasonable."

"No, I will not!" she practically shouted, eyes burning with angry tears. "You don't get to come back into my life after what you did."

A couple of Roland's friends moved forward and grabbed hold of Marianne's arms. She struggled against them too, but they held her in place. This had attracted the attention of a few people around them, but no one seemed too willing to step in and interrupt the drama.

Roland sauntered over to her, taking her chin into his hand and forcing her to look up at him. "Now sweetie, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is, of course, you just forget about this little mistake and we go back to the way things used to be."

Fueled by rage, hurt, and alcohol, Marianne spat in his face. "Fuck off, you piece of shit."

No longer in good spirits, Roland's smile vanished. He raised a hand to strike her, but another hand caught him around the wrist. He turned to see the man Marianne had danced with, holding his arm and looking very pissed off.

"Don't even think about it," he growled, his blue eyes aflame with anger.

Roland wrenched his arm free and took a moment to appraise the newcomer. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.

The newcomer was a only a few inches taller than Roland, but he still seemed to loom over him. "Someone who doesn't appreciate seeing women get hit," the man responded.

"Hey, I can take care of myself," Marianne pointed out.

"Oh, and you're doing a fabulous job of it," quipped the newcomer.

She flushed. "Yeah-well-"

"Doesn't matter," Roland interrupted, turning to face his competitor and squaring his shoulders. "What's Marianne to you? Are you her rebound?"

"He's a friend," said Marianne. Roland's buddies seemed to have either gotten bored, or scared of the newcomer, so they released her arms and drifted towards the bar. She stormed over and stood next to her new "friend." Even though she had just met him, she felt much safer near him than near Roland.

Roland looked from her to the newcomer then back to her again. He laughed. "So you found a new man to manipulate then, huh Marianne. Tell me, how long have you been fucking him?"

Marianne bristled with indignance. "Like you have room to talk, Mr. I-Stick-My-Dick-Into-Anything-That-Moves."

"I told you, baby, she meant nothing to me," said Roland, trying to put his charm back on after the interruption. "She was just a passing fling."

"I don't care, Roland," Marianne hissed back. "The fact is, you cheated on me. But it's not just that. I've had a lot of time to think about us these past couple weeks. You're an arrogant, selfish prick and I don't need your negativity in my life."

Roland tried to move close, but she drew back her arm and slammed her fist into his face. He was sent sailing backwards from the blow, into a table and some chairs by the bar.

"Man, that felt good," said Marianne. "Also, I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

The newcomer looked impressed. "Nice punch. I'm Bog, by the way."

"Bog?" Marianne repeated. "Interesting name. I guess it suits you."

"How so?"

She turned and gave him a smile. "Because you're an interesting person."

Bog grinned. However, before he could say anything in response, one of the bouncers approached them. "Hey, you've gotta leave, m'am," he said to Marianne. "We can't have any fights going on in our bar."

"But he started it!" Marianne argued, pointing at the feebly stirring Roland. "Why do I get kicked out for it?"

"Because you threw the punch. Now come on."

Marianne was glad she went outside anyway, for as soon as she did a wave of nausea rushed over her. She ran into the alleyway and began to puke up a good portion of the alcohol she'd consumed. It splattered onto the ground, getting on her tights and shoes. She felt an arm go around her and lift her up off the ground while she was vomiting, so that it would stop getting all over her. When she was finally finished, she turned and saw that Bog was the one holding her.

"You okay?" he asked gently.

She lowered her eyes to the ground and wiped her mouth with the back of her arm. "I'm fine, thanks," she mumbled. "Just...drank too much." She dug through her purse and pulled out her phone. "Excuse me, I need to call my sister and let her know I got kicked out for punching my ex in the face."

Bog held up his hands. "Hey, I fully support that. Here, I need to call my friend anyway. He's still in there trying to get with some girl."

"Wingman duty tonight, huh?" she asked as she clicked the call button with Dawn's picture on it on her phone.

"Yeah, and a real bang up job I'm doing too."

"Well, at least you didn't get kicked out-Dawn? Dawn, this is Marianne. I'm outside, where are you?"

_"Wait, you're outside? How can you be outside, I'm in a car!"_

Marianne frowned at her sister's response. "Dawn, you're not in a car. You're in the Tiger Beat Night Club, remember?"

_"Night club? Oh, we've left that night club, Marianne. I thought I told you we were leaving soon."_

"Leaving? Dawn, where are you?"

_"I dunno, we're in a car headed to the next club. Something to do with a pony, I think? The girls I met at the club said I should join them. I told you all of this already, Marianne."_

Panic suddenly washed over Marianne. Dawn wasn't with her anymore. She was off somewhere else, with strangers. "No, you did not tell me this, Dawn. All you told me was you met some new friends. Now tell me where you are, right now."

_"I told you, the pony club! Meet us there in ten minutes, okay? Gotta go. I love you Marianne! Tonight's gonna be spectacular."_

Dawn hung up, and Marianne slowly lowered her phone down from her ear. "Oh my God," she breathed. "_My sister left..._"


	5. Chapter 5

Bog could only watch as Marianne paced rapidly on the sidewalk. He had texted Sunny to meet him outside. He was about ninety-nine percent sure that the Dawn Sunny was pursuing was Marianne's sister, so it was possible he knew where she went. While they waited, he did his best to try and calm the frantic Marianne.

"I'm sure she's alright," he told her, not really sure of what else to say. The past half an hour had been quite the roller coaster for him. Seeing Marianne, dancing with her, kissing her even though it was very brief, and then stepping in to help her with her asshole of an ex. Even sober, he had not had this much excitement in forever.

He watched her plop down onto the hood of someone's car. Even when worried and super drunk, she was still just as pretty as she had been on the dance floor before he had known anything about her. He found himself wishing that they had not been interrupted by the song. If only their lips had been allowed to remain pressed together for a little while longer. But perhaps, given the circumstances, it was best that they hadn't.

"I'm sorry," she said suddenly. "You don't have to wait out here with me. Your friend inside must be looking for you."

"No no, I want to help," Bog said quickly. "I just texted him to come out. He's-" He hesitated. Should he tell her that his best friend was in all likelihood pursuing her sister? He wasn't sure how she would take the news. Given her current state of mind, she just might pummel Sunny into next week for even thinking of her sister in that way.

"He's what?" asked Marianne, looking at him expectantly.

Bog sighed. She was going to find out sooner or later anyway. Perhaps he could help spare Sunny from her drunken wrath with this preemptive strike. "My friend, Sunny...well, I don't know how else to say it but he likes your sister."

Marianne stared at him. For a moment, he thought she might go off again on another round of rapid pacing. But she just blinked and said "I see" in a neutral tone.

"Sunny is a good guy," Bog assured her hurriedly. "He wants a real relationship from this place, not a hook up. And he really respects Dawn."

Her expression continued to be ambiguous. Bog was fervently hoping he had not offended her by telling her this. She really seemed like the protective type, and he wouldn't be surprised if Sunny came out and she immediately put him in a headlock.

"Are you mad?" he asked tentatively.

She shook her head. "No, I'm sure your friend is alright. I'm just-I'm really worried about Dawn. We've never really been apart before so I'm nervous. Ever since mom died, we've always stuck close to one another. Having her so far from me-" Marianne trailed off. Her eyes began to glisten as they filled with tears.

Bog opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. He did not want her crying, but he wasn't sure of what to say.

He was saved by Sunny, who came strolling out of the bar like nothing was wrong. "Hey Bog, I got your text. Sorry, I can't find Dawn anywhere. She did mention leaving though-"

Nothing could have stopped Marianne in that moment. Bog felt like he had only blinked and suddenly she had his best friend pinned to the wall of the building. "_Where did she go?" _she demanded. Clearly she had some experience pinning people to walls, because from the looks of it Sunny was not going anywhere until she let him.

"I-I don't know," Sunny gasped as her arm pressed into his chest. "I think the girls she was with said something about the Four Ponies Club on Elm Street."

Bog saw Marianne's shoulders relax, and was relieved to see her release Sunny. His friend immediately ran over to him, just to get away from her. "Holy shit," he said as he joined his friend. "That girl is nuts."

"She's Dawn's older sister," Bog explained. He was regretting not warning Sunny before he came outside. "And she's-ah-a bit worried about her."

"Understatement of the year," Sunny grumbled, massaging his chest. "So what happens now then?"

Bog didn't know. He turned to ask Marianne if she wanted help, but she had vanished from the spot where he had last seen her. He looked around quickly and saw her stumbling in her heels down the sidewalk towards the nearest intersection.

"Don't do it," Sunny warned as he followed his friend's gaze.

"Sunny, please," said Bog quickly, turning to his friend and grabbing him by the shoulders. "You know how you said Dawn was your perfect girl? Well...I think Marianne might be mine."

His friend glanced skeptically at the staggering drunk girl who was slowly but surely getting farther away from them. "Who, Lara Croft over there?"

"Yes. I don't know, there's just something about her that I-look, we've got to help her."

Sunny raised an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean by _we_?"

"Well, what else are you going to do? Dawn's the girl you like, and she's the one we've got to find. So it works out nicely then doesn't it?"

"Fair point. But why should we help her? I know you want in her pants and all, but did you not see her slam me into the wall like two minutes ago? Bitch is crazy."

"I do not want in her pants! I mean, I do, but-look, we're not doing much here anyway. Let's help her find Dawn and then you'll have the chance to get better acquainted with her."

Sunny folded his arms. "Why does it gotta be me? Why can't you help her."

"Because I am five shots and three glasses of whiskey in and I can't drive, dumb ass. You're the one who hasn't had a single drop all night."

He knew that was his trump card. Sunny was not a drinker, therefore that made him the go-to designated driver. Plus he knew his friend well enough to know that, while Sunny may initially put up a fight, in the end he would help him out. Even if there was nothing in it for him, which in this case there actually was something that would benefit him. And that was finding the girl of his dreams, albeit a very plastered dream girl.

"Fine," grumbled Sunny. "But I still think the bottle of lube is a better choice for you."

"Well, at least the lube doesn't get drunk and leave you without warning I suppose."

"Why are you guys talking about lube?" The two men turned to see Marianne standing there, arms folded across her chest and a confused look on her face.

Sunny pointed towards the intersection. "Weren't you about to wander into traffic like two seconds ago?"

Marianne looked down at her feet sheepishly. "I was going to ask you for directions to Elm Street. I'm not sure which way it is from here."

"Missed opportunity," Sunny mumbled under his breath, which earned him a kick in the shin from Bog. "Ouch, okay fine, I get it. Would you like a ride getting there?" he asked through clenched teeth.

She looked from him to Bog. "You guys would do that for me?"

"Well, I personally don't care for you after you shoved me into a wall," Sunny said flatly "but Bog tells me that he wants to f-ouch, stop kicking my shin! Fine, Bog says it's the right thing to do. Plus-you know-your sister is pretty fine."

Marianne balled her hands into fists. "You'd better not try anything with her while she's this drunk, you hear me?" She suddenly looked thoughtful. "Hang on, who's gonna drive? I can barely walk as it is, and I'm pretty sure you're drunk off your ass as well," she added, nodding at Bog.

Sunny snickered, but Bog shrugged. "Well, she's not wrong. Sunny's going to drive, since he hasn't been drinking tonight."

"Yeah, I'll take you over there. But you need to change or clean up or something first." He sniffed and made a face at her. "You smell like a prom night bathroom."

Marianne looked down at her dress, tights, and shoes, all stained with booze and vomit. "You're right. But these are the only clothes I brought with me."

"I have a spare set in my car," Bog offered. "They might be a little big, but they're better than nothing."

"Liar," whispered Sunny, earning him yet another kick in the shin. "Bog, I swear if you kick my shin one more time-"

Marianne followed the two men out to the parking lot. She remained cautious of them, in spite of them helping her out. She knew Bog felt something for her, but from what she had seen of him so far he seemed unwilling to try and coerce her into anything. And so far, Sunny did not seem to like her much. But at the moment, she didn't really care about what either of them thought. All she could care about was finding Dawn and making sure she was safe. As they walked, she sent a text to her sister, telling her that she was on her way and to not go anywhere else. Hopefully, her sister wasn't too drunk to read yet. Hopefully.

Bog popped open the trunk of his car and grabbed a bulky plastic bag from inside. "Here, there's a shirt, some shorts, socks, and tennis shoes in there. We can wait while you go into the bathroom and..." But he trailed off, because as he was speaking Marianne had removed her heels and was pulling down her tights. He stood there, mouth still open while she worked on pulling her dress up over her head. She was soon standing before the two of them wearing nothing but a lacy purple bra and matching panties.

"What?" she asked as they gawked at her. "Have you two never seen a girl in her panties before?"

"I-I have," Bog managed "but-why?"

Marianne shrugged and took the bag of clothes from him. "Dawn and I went to Victoria's Secret today while shopping. Someone might as well see what I got there."

"This-this is happening right?" he heard Sunny ask next to him. He glanced over and saw that his friend was just as impressed by the sight as he was. He elbowed him in the ribs. "What? Just because I'm pursuing another girl doesn't mean I can't appreciate a nice body."

"You're the worst," said Bog, turning away from Marianne finally as she pulled his shorts up over her hips. He had to look away, otherwise soon he would be having to dump a cup of cold water down the front of his jeans.

"Yeah, I'm definitely drunk," he heard Marianne say while she put on the t-shirt. "I probably would not be changing in front of two guys while sober."

"Well that's good to know, I guess," said Sunny. He seemed to have had the same thought as Bog, because he had stopped staring at Marianne to go move the driver's seat up in the car. After all, his legs were much shorter than Bog's, so he needed to be closer. "I think Elm Street is about a seven minute drive from here. I've been to Four Ponies before, so I have a general idea of where it is."

Bog was leaning against the car, trying to steady his thoughts. "I don't think there's a cover either, so we should be able to get in pretty easy." Against his better judgement, he stole another glance at Marianne. She was fully clothed now, in a black Killers t-shirt that went past her hips and cargo shorts that were nearly pants on her. The shoes were way too big for her, but she had them tied as tight as they would go. He had to admit, she still looked sexy in his clothes. He tried not to think of the implications that went with her wearing his clothes, since he was already fighting arousal enough as it was. Seeing her in her underwear had caught him way off guard. But he liked her boldness and spontaneity. It just made her all the more enticing.

"How do I look?" she asked, holding out her arms.

"Like a crazy, drunk girl in my best friend's clothes," Sunny answered from the front seat.

Marianne actually smiled at this. "Yeah, sorry about earlier. I was anxious about Dawn and let that get the better of me."

"Well, I'd sure hate to really piss you off," said Sunny. But Bog could hear his tone lightening. His friend was, probably against his better judgement, warming up to Marianne. He knew he wouldn't hold the grudge for long; it wasn't in his nature as a person to do so.

"Let's get going then," said Bog, opening the car door for Marianne.

As she got in, she gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you for this," she told him quietly. "And for-for earlier. You know, with Roland."

He returned the smile, feeling a warm affection for her spreading across his chest. "No problem, tough girl. Now, let's go find your sister."


	6. Chapter 6

Sunny and Bog sat silently in the front seat of the car while Marianne was in the back, leaning her head against the car window.

"Are we there yet?" she groaned, her head spinning from all the alcohol she had consumed that evening. She was seriously regretting letting Dawn talk her into all those shots.

"We are one minute closer since the last time you asked," grumbled Sunny over his shoulder. "I do not know how I got roped into driving you two drunks around," he added to Bog.

Bog smirked at him. "I'm sure the lacy purple bra was a helping factor in your decision."

"Shut up!" It was dark, but he knew his friend had probably gone red at that point. "You'd better not tell Dawn about that, okay? Color me not interested."

"I know," said Bog "and I won't tell her. But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna keep bringing it up."

"Bringing what up?" asked Marianne, her face suddenly appearing in between their seats.

Sunny jumped a little. "Hey, put your seat belt on!" he barked at her. "Just because I wouldn't mind seeing you fly through the windshield doesn't mean I want that on my insurance."

Marianne rolled her eyes. "I'm lonely back here. You guys get to sit in the front seat and talk, so I wanted to join in."

"Maybe because all you kept saying was 'Are we there yet?'" Sunny pointed out.

"So, your name is Bog and your name is Sunny," Marianne said, ignoring Sunny's comment. "How old are you guys? And how long have you known each other? What do you do for a living?"

Bog latched onto her questions before Sunny could reply with something sarcastic. "We're both 26, and we've been friends since sophomore year of high school. I'm an engineer for Butterfly Corp. and Sunny is an accountant for the Black Forest Company, and a part time musician."

"Ooh, what instrument do you play?" asked Marianne.

"I'm lead singer for a band called the Small Elves," Sunny explained. Bog knew he would enjoy telling her all about it, hence the reason he had brought it up. "We've been pretty popular lately, and get a lot of gigs around town. We play a lot of modern songs, usually hip hop, which I think draws in a lot of people."

"Yeah, I've heard of you guys. That's really cool. And an engineer for Butterfly Corp? Wow, I bet it was difficult getting in."

Bog shook his head. "Nah, my dad worked for them for thirty years before he died. He managed to pull a few strings, and my resume and college transcripts did the rest. What do you do?"

"Me? Well, I have my degree in marketing. Right now I'm a barista at Starbucks until I can find a full time job. My dad-well he kind of helps me and Dawn pay for things." She looked embarrassed, and sat back on her seat. "Guess that makes me look kind of like a spoiled rich girl, doesn't it?"

"You seem like you'd prefer to be independent," Bog commented, turning around in his seat to look at her. "I find that respectable."

She smiled at this, and he felt butterflies in his stomach when she did. Seeing her there in the car, wearing a t-shirt and shorts that were too big for her and her hair all messed up...he couldn't help but feel a tremendous fondness for her.

"Hey, we're here," Sunny announced, sliding into an open parking spot on the street.

Marianne and Bog switched their attention to the Four Ponies Club that Sunny had just pulled in front of. It was packed with people, and Marianne worried that finding Dawn might not be as easy as she thought it would. However, if her sister was in there, she had to find her and make sure she was okay.

"I don't think I'm allowed to park here," said Sunny. "So how about you two go in an find her, and I'll wait out here. Yes?"

Marianne wasted no time in exiting the vehicle and heading straight for the door. She managed to squeeze into the mass of bodies, and began looking around. Like the previous nightclub, the light was very dim, the music was loud, and the hot air reeked of booze and vomit. It nearly made her have to go for round two of her own puke fest, and she swayed a little from nausea and general dizziness.

Bog caught her by the shoulders as she stumbled. She hadn't realized he was close by, but she was grateful for him being there. "You're tall," she commented loudly so she'd be heard over the music. "See if you can find Dawn in this mess."

He scratched the back of his neck in discomfort. "Actually, I don't know what she looks like," he replied.

"Fine, give me a second," said Marianne. She pulled her phone out of her purse and began to search through her pictures for one of Dawn. Just as she found one and was about to call it up, a hand reached out and snatched the phone from her. She was just in time to see that the hand belonged to a grinning young man with white blond hair before he slipped into the crowd and disappeared. "Fuck!" she yelled, pushing through the crowd after him.

She could hear Bog saying something behind her, but she wasn't listening. The phone was her only way of finding Dawn, and she'd be damned if some asshole was going to take that away from her. She spotted him a little ways ahead of her, going out the door and taking off down the street. Marianne stumbled out of the club and took off after him. He was fast, but luckily she was faster. Even though the shoes on her feet were too big, and her head was still swimming, she managed to stay hot on his tail.

The thief made the mistake of looking back. Clearly he did not expect to see Marianne there, because he gave her a very shocked look. "What the-?"

His moment of confusion was all she needed. She leaped forward and tackled him to the pavement. Pain seared through her as her knees and elbows hit the ground, but the rest of her was cushioned from the fall by the blond guy beneath her. She expected a fight, and quickly readied herself for one, but the thief just groaned. Most likely, the tackle had knocked the wind right out of him.

"Give it back!" Marianne demanded, shaking him by the shoulders. "I need that phone to find my sister."

"O-okay," he rasped. "Just-get-off-"

Angry and worried about her sister, Marianne was relentless. "What, so you can run off again? Give me back my phone, asshat!"

"F-fine." Slowly, he worked his arm free from underneath him and passed the phone to her.

Marianne snatched it from him, remaining on top of him while she inspected it for damage. Fortunately, there were no cracks or scratches on it from the fall. But her blood was still boiling from the adrenaline rush. "Stealing phones from drunk girls in night clubs?" she chided. "You're pathetic."

"Marianne! Are you okay?" She turned and saw Bog and Sunny both running towards her.

"Oh, my knights in shining armor finally decide to show up," she quipped.

"Finally? You took off like a bullet," Bog argued. "And just what are you exactly that you have all this dexterity while drunk? I can barely tie my shoelaces."

Marianne stood and turned to face him. "Let's just say I've taken tons of self defense classes in my life."

"More like CIA training, if you ask me," Sunny muttered under his breath to Bog. "So-ah-what do we do about him?"

The thief was slowly getting to his feet. When he turned around and looked at Bog and Sunny, his face seemed to light up a little bit. "Oh wow, hi guys! I haven't seen you in forever."

Bog stared at him for several seconds before the recognition kicked in. "Kyle? Is that you?"

"Wait, Kyle Gray?" said Sunny, stepping forward to get a better look at him. "Holy shit, it is you!"

Marianne looked from the thief to Bog and Sunny. "Wait wait wait...you guys know each other?"

"Yeah, Kyle was part of our friend group a couple years ago," Bog explained. "But I thought you moved to New York. What happened?"

Kyle shifted awkwardly. "Well...I kind of lost my job and went broke then had to move back in with mom and dad. I didn't want to tell you guys because I felt like such a failure."

"So now you've resorted to stealing?" asked Marianne, folding her arms and still looking pissed off.

"Might have to re-think who I steal from now," he replied, rubbing his abdomen and wincing. "What are you, some sort of ninja?"

"Something like that," she said. She resumed the task of calling up Dawn's picture to show Bog. "There, that's what Dawn looks like. Think you could try finding her in that mess?"

He shrugged. "I could try. It's pretty dark in there, but at least since she's blonde it'll be easier to see."

Kyle had sidled over next to Bog to look at the picture. "That girl? Oh, she's not in the club."

Bog saw Marianne start for Kyle, but hastily grabbed her and held her back. "Hang on there, tough girl. I think you've injured enough people tonight."

Marianne didn't bother trying to escape from his grasp, but she still rounded on Kyle immediately. "You mean you saw her? Was she okay? Who was she with? Where did they go?"

"Woah, hang on," said Kyle, holding up his hands defensively. "Why should I tell you anything, crazy girl? You tackled me."

"_You took my phone, dipshit_!"

Kyle tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Fair enough. Okay, yeah I saw her there just a few minutes before you arrived. She and this group of girls showed up, but decided it was too crowded so they left."

Bog had to hold onto Marianne to keep her from sinking to the sidewalk. "We're too late," she whispered, sounding quite distraught. "I can't believe this."

"Hey, it's okay," he told her soothingly. "Kyle, did any of them say where they were going?"

Kyle squeezed his eyes shut, thinking hard. "Ummm...yeah, I think so. They said they were going to stop at the nearest gas station for snacks then-ah-oh yeah, they decided to go to Blue."

Sunny drew a sharp intake of breath. "Ooh, not good."

"What is it?" Marianne asked.

"Blue is almost impossible to get into," he explained. "That's where that famous matchmaker Sugar Plum hangs out."

"Sugar Plum?" she repeated. "I had no idea she did social things like that."

"Yeah, so I don't think we'll be following Dawn in there," said Sunny. "If she can even get in, that is."

Kyle raised a finger, as if struck with a sudden thought. "What if one of us distracts the bouncer while another one sneaks in? I'm sure ninja girl could manage it pretty easily."

Marianne gave him a scathing look. "What do you mean by 'us'? You tried to steal my phone. Just because you were friends with Bog and Sunny back in the day doesn't mean you get to come with us. Right, guys?" Her companions shifted uncomfortably, and she narrowed her eyes at them. "_Right, guys_?"

"Well-um-we know Kyle really is a good guy at heart," ventured Bog.

"Yeah, and he's a thief, so he might be able to help us sneak into the club," added Sunny.

Marianne smacked her forehead. "I don't believe this. You're gonna let a criminal into your car?"

Kyle held his hands up. "Hey, look, I'm sorry about what I did. I won't try to steal from you again, I promise. Not after you almost cracked my head open on the pavement."

She sighed. As much as she did not want Kyle riding with them, they were wasting time arguing about it. Who knew where Dawn could decide to go next? And if she changed locations then they would be back to square one. So, gritting her teeth and mentally cursing her luck, she poked Kyle hard in the chest. "Fine, but you keep your hands to yourself or I break your wrist. And yes, I do know how, even while drunk."

"Oh, no worries," said Kyle nervously as Marianne stormed off to the car. "I don't doubt that, not for a minute."

"You're right, she is crazy," Sunny assured Kyle once she was out of ear shot.

Bog stared after her. He had never felt more attracted to anyone in his life as he was to Marianne. "Yeah, crazy," he agreed dreamily as Sunny and Kyle followed after her. "Crazy and amazing and beautiful."


	7. Chapter 7

Marianne was giving Kyle the stink eye as they sat silently beside each other in the back seat of Bog's car. Kyle would occasionally glance her way, see that she was still glaring at him then promptly look elsewhere. After a while, he leaned forward to seek the aid of Bog.

"Dude, can we switch spots?" he whispered. "She's freaking me out."

"You're fine, she's not going to eat you," Bog muttered back.

"I dunno, she might," Sunny said thoughtfully.

"I can hear you guys, you know," huffed Marianne. "I still don't understand why we have to bring the _thief_ with us."

Kyle gave her a pouting look. "I said I was sorry. What more do you need?"

"I've still got scraped elbows and knees that are smarting," she replied. "Until they stop, I'm going to stay mad at you."

"You knocked the wind out of me!" Kyle argued.

She just shrugged and turned to look out the window. "You deserved it."

Kyle made a wringing motion with his hands in her direction. "If I weren't sure that she could kick my ass in a fight, I would strangle her."

"She'll get over it," said Bog. He frowned when he saw Sunny turning left onto Charter Oak Road. "Hey, this isn't the way to Blue. Where are you going?"

"Gas station," Sunny replied. "Your car is almost on empty."

"Oh good, I have to pee," Marianne piped up from the back.

Sunny winced. "TMI, lady. Also, I kind of want some snacks. I never ate a proper dinner. And you two drunks should get something in your stomachs to absorb all that alcohol."

They pulled into the gas station. Marianne wasted no time rushing inside to use the restroom. Sunny went in to look at snack foods while Bog worked on getting the car filled. Kyle drifted off to go smoke a cigarette away from the gas station. It was good to be out in the cool night air, alone while he filled the tank. Bog savored the moment, the silence and stillness, and tried to clear his mind.

He wondered what would happen once Marianne was reunited with her sister. Right now she was sticking with them because they were her only hope, but what happened after? What happened when she sobered up and returned to reality? Would she still want to be with him? Or was that just a "heat of the moment" deal that they had? He felt his heart ache at the thought. Sure, she had been friendly with him since their dance, but that wasn't the same as what he saw on the dance floor. That wasn't the girl who pulled him in close to her body and danced with him. That wasn't the girl who looked at him like he was everything she ever wanted.

"Is that gas pump explaining the laws of physics to you or something?"

Bog jumped and nearly knocked the pump out of the car at Marianne's sudden reappearance. He did not realize he'd been spaced out for so long.

"Sorry," he said, coughing and straightening himself. "I was just thinking about...about stuff."

"I see," she said, leaning against the back of the car beside him. "Were you thinking about us?"

_She really knows how to hit the nail right on the head, _Bog thought to himself. "Yeah, a little bit."

Marianne nodded. "I know what you probably must think of me: Crazy girl who leads you on, drags you into her life drama then leaves everything between us ambiguous."

"I don't think you're leading me on or dragging me into anything," said Bog.

She smiled and moved closer to him. "Good, because I promise you that's not the case. You know, earlier tonight...on the dance floor...I really liked being there with you." Her cheeks turned pink and she looked down at the too-big shoes on her feet.

Bog felt his heartbeat quicken at the mention of it. He remembered. Oh gods, did he remember. How close she had been to him. The feel of her small, slender frame moving beneath his hands during their dance. The softness of her skin when he touched her. And her lips...her lips...

He found himself staring at them, wishing more than anything he could kiss them, just once more. Without thinking, his hand reached out towards her and cupped the side of her face. His thumb brushed over her lips, and her eyes widened at him when he did. Seeing this, he quickly withdrew his hand and stowed it away into his pocket.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized, curling his fingers into a fist inside the pocket and cursing at himself. How could he be so stupid? That was probably the last thing she wanted now with her sister missing.

"Don't be," she assured him, moving forward and placing a hand on his arm. "It's just...right now, all I can think about is getting Dawn back."

He nodded slowly, disappointment gripping him so tightly he thought it might suffocate him. He didn't even know why it was there. After all, she hadn't rejected him. She had only told him that, for the time being, her sister was her main concern. _So why am I feeling like this?_ he wondered. _Why do I feel like she just slammed me in the stomach with a sledge hammer?_

Bog looked at her, standing there in his shirt and shorts, and it struck him why. It was because he was impatient. He always had been, ever since he was a boy. He did not want to wait until they found Dawn to start something with her. He wanted to take action now. If he had his way, he would throw her across the hood of the car just to taste those sweet lips of hers again. He didn't care who saw, he wanted so badly to make love to her right then and there. It was tempting, oh so tempting to just do it.

_I want you, Marianne_. The thought echoed through his mind, again and again. _I want you, you crazy, irresistible girl. But I am not going to take you, because that's not who I am_.

"We'll find Dawn," he said, pushing all those thoughts away to the back of his mind. He didn't care how strongly he wanted her. Bog knew that if things were going to work with her, he had to take it slow. No matter how badly he wanted them to move quickly, he had to be patient. He had to be patient for her. "I promise you, we're going to find her."

She smiled, and pressed her forehead into his arm. "Thank you for all your help. I really appreciate it. And after we find Dawn-well-you know."

"Yeah...I know." He reached around and put his hand on top of her head, giving her hair an affectionate stroke. Until things went back to normal, he could wait. After all, she seemed like a girl who was very well worth waiting for.


	8. Chapter 8

Marianne no longer cared that Kyle sat next to her in the back seat of the car. It was very low on her list of thoughts and concerns at the moment. For one thing, her sister was still out there somewhere, possibly in trouble as it had been nearly half an hour since her last Instagram selfie at the gas station. Then there was the matter of Bog. Marianne could not deny her attraction and feelings towards him, but with all that had gone on that evening she'd been forced to push it to the back of her mind. Now it was bubbling up and starting to push its way forward.

She found herself staring at the side of his face as he rode shotgun. Their encounter at the gas station had been—well—_tense_. Not in a bad way, but she could definitely see and sense his desire for her. While she felt the same, she couldn't act on it yet. Not when Dawn was out there somewhere. And certainly not while she was still drunk and only half in control of her faculties. She felt bad for making him wait, but it couldn't be helped. It would happen eventually.

He turned to look at her and she looked away quickly, out the window at the various bars and clubs along the strip. Her heart was pounding quickly. They'd been so close earlier. The way he looked at her, spoke to her, _touched_ her…

"Are you alright, Marianne?" she heard him ask.

Marianne nodded without looking at him. They could resolve their feelings when this was all said and done. Right now, they were quickly approaching Blue and had to focus on finding her. "I'm okay. Still worried and dizzy per usual."

"Man, that bouncer looks mean," said Sunny as he pulled in to an empty spot on the street. "I don't know how you're gonna get in there."

Marianne felt her heart sink into her stomach when she saw the line of people waiting outside Blue. It didn't look like any of them were getting in, so how the heck were they supposed to? Her eyes scanned the line frantically for Dawn, but her bubbly blonde sister was nowhere in sight.

"We've got to try," she muttered, getting out of the car and striding across the street to the club.

Bog ran up and caught her by the arm halfway there. "Marianne please, let's think this through," he said, a somewhat pleading look in his blue eyes. "I don't want you getting hurt."

She smiled and put a hand on his arm. "Bog, I appreciate your concern, but right now my sister could be in there and I have to get to her. I'll just go up to the bouncer and talk to him, explain what's going on and see if he'll let me in for like five minutes. Don't worry, I'm not gonna get hurt."

He bit his bottom lip, something Marianne found to be distractingly sexy in spite of the current situation at hand. "Just—just be careful, okay? Bouncers around here can be pretty tough."

"Good thing I'm a tough girl then." Giving him a reassuring smirk, she turned back to continue making her way across the street. Either she was still pretty drunk or just reckless, because she had no problem going straight up to the bulky, nearly seven foot tall bouncer.

The bouncer saw her approaching and held his hand up in a way that clearly meant stop. "We're not letting anyone in who's not on the list tonight," he boomed at her. "Sugar Plum is here, so it's restricted access."

"That's fine, I just need to go in for like five minutes," Marianne explained calmly.

He shook his head. "Nope. Get in line with the rest of them. You can go in when Plum leaves at ten."

"You don't understand," she went on, feeling her defensiveness slowly start to build "my sister is in there and I have to find her. Please, just let me go look and I swear I won't cause any trouble."

"No," the bouncer said firmly "you're not going in. Not until Plum leaves, now get in line."

Marianne clenched her fists at her sides. She looked to the side of the bouncer and saw there was an opening that she could maybe slip past him if she was quick enough. Fueled by anger and the need to find her sister, she went for it. However, the bouncer saw it coming and moved to block her. She ran full on into the wall of muscle and felt a searing pain in her shoulder and lip from where his arm blocked her.

"No means no, now get out of here!" growled the bouncer. He grabbed Marianne by the shirt and threw her back onto the pavement.

She hit the ground hard, and more pain shot through her body upon the impact. As she lay there groaning, she saw someone rush past her and slam the bouncer into the side of the building.

"_Apologize to her, now!_" they shouted.

Marianne focused her eyes on the action and saw that Bog somehow had the bouncer by the shirt and pinned to the wall. She was astounded that someone as thin as him could accomplish such a feat. He must have been either really angry, or stronger than he looked. Or both.

"Get off of me!" roared the bouncer, struggling with Bog to push him back.

While they fought, Bog turned to Marianne and yelled "Now's your chance! _Go!_"

She was too stunned and in pain to move at first, but when she realized what Bog was risking by taking on the bouncer for her, she scrambled to her feet. With one last worried look at the two men fighting, she darted past them and into the club.

It was much cleaner and roomier than any club she had ever been to. There was a stage with live music playing, a very large bar, and tables and chairs littering the room. To her right was another level that looked out onto the first, so Marianne headed quickly for the stairs. From a high vantage point, she would have a better shot at finding Dawn. She scooted around very well-dressed patrons, who gave her odd looks as she passed. She didn't even have to wonder why. At this point, she probably looked like a twelve year old boy who had just gotten into a scuffle with some neighbors.

On the top level, she scanned the room, looking for any sign of Dawn. There were plenty of people to sift through. Plenty of blondes too, but none of them were wearing pink. Marianne clenched the railing tightly. "Dawn, where are you?" she said quietly to herself.

Just as she was about to go back downstairs to continue the search, something bulky caught her around the stomach and she was being hefted upwards. It took her a moment to get her bearings and realize that another bouncer had found her and thrown her over his shoulder.

"Come on," he grumbled to her as she began to kick and squirm in his grasp. "You're not supposed to be in here."

Marianne continued to squirm and hit his back, trying hard to escape from him but getting nowhere. "You don't understand," she grunted as she worked "I have to find my sister!"

"Your sister isn't here, now get out," he replied as they approached the door. When they got there, he pried her off his shoulder and deposited her onto the ground like a sack of potatoes.

She wanted to get up again and fight her way back in, but a sudden wave of despair overcame her. Dawn wasn't in there. She might never have been in there in the first place. This whole thing was a wild goose chase that was getting them nowhere and she was beginning to feel hopeless and defeated by their recurring failures.

"I just want my sister back," she said softly as the corners of her eyes began to fill with tears of frustration and worry.

She felt a hand on her back, and looked up to see that Bog was sitting on the ground next to her. Through her tears, she could see he was sporting a bruised cheek and a cut on his lip. He must have gotten decked in the face by the bouncer during the fight and thrown to the ground just like her.

He managed a smile that was more of a wince and said "Well, it was worth a shot."

Marianne sat up quickly and hastily brushed her tears away with the back of her hand. "Your face!" she cried, taking his head into her hands and moving it from side to side so she could see his injuries. He inhaled sharply and she released him. "Oops, sorry. Are you okay?"

"I've had worse," he said with a shrug. "Anyway, you should see yourself. Your lip is bleeding, you know."

She brought a finger to the spot on her lip where it was hurting. Sure enough, there was blood on it when she pulled it away. "It's nothing," she said quickly. "Why did you go after him like that though? There was no need for you to get hurt too."

"Because he hurt you," Bog replied simply. "I couldn't stand seeing you get hurt, so I had to do something. Plus, it distracted him long enough for you to get into the club, right?"

Marianne felt more tears coming on, but this time because she was touched at his words. He cared about her enough to defend her, even though he hadn't known her for very long. It was way more than anything Roland had ever done for her during their entire five year relationship.

She sniffled and leaned forward to rest her head onto his shoulder. "Thank you," she choked. Anything more than those two words and she was sure she would start full-on sobbing.

He put an arm around her and rested his own head against hers. "Anytime," he murmured gently into her hair.

"Uh, not to ruin the moment here guys, but we've got a problem," Sunny whispered urgently to them and pointing towards the club.

The two looked to where he was pointing and saw both bouncers glaring at them. "I'm calling the cops on you two," said the first one, who was sporting a nice sized bruise on his own face from where Bog had hit him.

"Sneaking into the club is one thing," said the other "but assaulting a worker is not okay."

"I've seen enough," another voice chimed in loudly.

Marianne looked around the bouncers and saw a short, curvy woman walking out of the club. She had waist-length silver hair, grey eyes, silver eye shadow, baby blue lipstick, and was dressed in a sparkly blue dress with a slit in the side. There were five inch high stilettos on her feet and she walked in them like they were nothing. Her facial features were very pretty and she looked like she was quite intelligent with her keen, steady gaze. She looked from Bog to Marianne and her light blue lips pulled upwards into a smile.

"Sugar Plum," someone in the crowd gasped, and the entire line fell silent.

The woman rolled her eyes. "Yes yes, it's me, voila," she said quickly, waving them off with her hand as if she was sick of the recognition. "Let's get back to what's at hand here, shall we?"

"M'am, these two fought Brutus here and then the girl broke into the club," explained the bouncer who had carried Marianne out.

She put a hand over his mouth in exasperation, displaying a set of long, silver fingernails. "Yes, I know what happened, Octavian," she sighed. "I saw her barge in, I'm not blind."

"Then shouldn't we be calling the police on them?" Brutus asked slowly.

Sugar Plum laughed a hearty laugh and shook her head. Her silver hair shimmered like an ocean wave when she moved her head. She swept it over her shoulder and approached the two sitting on the ground. "Oh no," she said cheerfully, clapping her hands together in delight. "These two are definitely on my list."


End file.
